A NASA astronaut aboard the International Space Station reported hearing a strange noise coming from the Boeing Starliner spacecraft just days before it was set to return to Earth on autopilot. The astronaut, Butch Wilmore, contacted Mission Control in Houston to inquire about the noise. He played a recording of the noise, described as a pulsating sound at steady intervals, for Mission Control to hear. The source of the sound was identified as coming from the speaker inside the Starliner, and Mission Control indicated that they would investigate further.
The peculiar noise coming from the Starliner was initially reported by Ars Technica and captured by meteorologist Rob Dale. As of now, the source of the sound has not been identified, and inquiries have been made to Mission Control and Boeing for more information. Despite the noise, the Starliner was scheduled to undock from the ISS and return to Earth on autopilot with a touchdown in the New Mexico desert. However, the return of the astronauts onboard, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, was postponed until February due to various technical issues that have plagued the mission.
The Starliner spacecraft had experienced thruster failures and helium leaks, causing delays in the mission timeline. Boeing had high hopes for the Starliner’s first crew trip to revive the troubled spacecraft program after years of setbacks and cost overruns. The company had conducted extensive thruster tests in both space and on the ground to ensure the safety of the spacecraft. Despite these efforts, the mission has faced numerous challenges, leading NASA to decide to postpone the return of the astronauts until February to minimize risk and address any technical issues that may have arisen during the mission.
The decision to delay the return of the astronauts highlights the complexities of space travel and the importance of ensuring the safety and functionality of spacecraft systems before returning crew members to Earth. Mission Control and Boeing are working to identify the source of the strange noise in the Starliner and address any other technical issues that may impact the spacecraft’s safe return. The successful return of the Starliner and its crew will be a significant milestone for Boeing and NASA, demonstrating the capability of commercial spacecraft to transport astronauts to and from the ISS.
